TiVos for HD OTA in Canada

[awebber]

Is your Apple TV Netflix US or Canada? What you're describing on the TiVo sounds like the same pathetic functionality I have with netflix.ca on my WD HD Live box (no queue -- not on Windows either -- and a crappy search, though the latter seems to be somewhat improved as it now returns titles and authors on the WD box). Of course the WD box also has browing by category but I think the categories are predefined (varying) and not navigable as they are on Windows.

=aw

[jft436]

Thanks to you members on this site I am updated and now running Netflix. It took two days after I went to the website and put in my unit number and they sent me messsages that the software update had been done.

I do notice the movement is slower than my other devices and I have noticed some picture pixcelization. Perthaps that has something to do with the Tivo server linking up with Netflix?

To answer some of the previous comments yes you can connect to Netflix USA but you must have an account with them to make it work.

I do not believe if it advisable to tell people that we have access without a vpn because there will somebody that will want to shut out us Canadians from an American webite. As you are aware our canadian IPs are in most cases blocked from the American sites.

Special thanks to Andrella I coiuld not figure how to get back to the main Netflix menu I always had to go right out of the program.It was only when I held the up button momemtarily did it work.

I have waited a long time (over a year)to get some of the features that our American cousins enjoy, I am glad to see that Tivo is giving us the features.

[andrela]

I consider the Tivo Netflix to be about the same as the PS3 was last fall. I personnally prefer the Tivo over the ATV. Netflix apps. Not by much though. It just that I am used to it through the PS3. Please remember that is the first Tivo version and I do expect that it will get better within a few months as this is updated by Netflix. This is why it takes longer to load; it has to download from netflix everytime it is started.

As for the instant queue, it is a mixed bag; PS3 is full fledged, the iphone too, the ipad And Tivo do not have it and the ATV only shows it (no add/delete). All this may vary depending on netflix user settings.

My biggest complaint for the Tivo version, it does not follow tivo key mapping nor does it have any info to what is playing.

Regardless, as Canadians, this is a big step in the right direction.

FYI. In find TV, movies & videos, from tivo central, SEARCH will no longer bring you directly to an episode in Netflix. You will have to search for it in netflix.

[FunkyTown]

Yes, it's great to get Netflix without going through VPN. Of course if you want to use the US version of Netflix, then you would likely still need the VPN. The Netflix I get is the Canadian version. I've been complaining to TiVo and Netflix both about getting this working on the tivo devices. Since Netflix wrote the application, I give them credit for thinking of us here in Canada and opening it up to us. It makes sense, we can access it through ATV, PS3, Wii, and a number of other devices. Why not TiVo?

It's been several days now and still I have found no bugs. Great job TiVo!!!!!!

[awebber]

Why not TiVo?

Probably in the past because TiVo is not technically distributed in Canada (at least not Netflix-capable units). I'm just happy (and surprised) that Canadian OTA info is available for TiVos, though that may just come free with whatever service (Tribune?) they license for US listings.

I'm somewhat surprised Netflix would invest in making netflix.ca accessible, but maybe TiVo's reworking to a more open software platform (do I have that right?) made it possible for Netflix to port their PS3 or WD Live or whatever software to the TiVo Premiere? If only TiVo would add support for Amazon streaming videos, I might switch my netflix.ca money to a paid VPN service to get the Amazon Prime video library.

...and just remembered the real reason I started this reply , am I right in assuming a TiVo Premiere won't stream netflix without TiVo service? I know they won't even play live TV without it so infer the same is true of Netflix.

Thanks!
=aw

[andrela]

Just found out that if you choose french language on your netflix account setting, the tivo netflix is then in french. Could have tried spanish but would not have understood a word

Even the bugs in netflix seems to have been fixed.

[The Black Cat]

Is your Apple TV Netflix US or Canada? What you're describing on the TiVo sounds like the same pathetic functionality I have with netflix.ca on my WD HD Live box (no queue -- not on Windows either -- and a crappy search, though the latter seems to be somewhat improved as it now returns titles and authors on the WD box). Of course the WD box also has browing by category but I think the categories are predefined (varying) and not navigable as they are on Windows.

I currently use 2 Apple TVs in the living room...one for canadian content and one for american content. My Netflix account is canadian and I use a DNS from Unblock Us to access the american side. One of my ATVs will go in the bedroom eventually, so I'm glad we finally got TiVo access.

I'm not a big fan of the TiVo Netflix app though... not very user friendly and its really sluggish. But since I only watch Netflix 10% of the time on the canadian side, it'll do fine. I'll keep my ATV for the american side. A shame though because I originally wanted to make my TiVo the "american content device" but getting the right router setup for Hulu is proving to be a hassle right now.

As for the queues, I only enabled them with the help of the Instant Watcher app on the iOS app store. It seems when I added something to the queue, it enabled it on the ATVs. However, only content that is available on both the american and canadian Netflix will show up in my queue on the canadian side. I only get the queues on the ATVs, not the websites or TiVo. I read online that some people have access on all devices and that they are "beta testers" for the queue in Canada. Apparently if you call Netflix customer service (they have one??) you can ask if your account has this flag on it.

[jft436]

Okay I am reading all these posts and I am somewhat confused. When I access netflix on Tivo without using a vpn am I receiving a the Canadain version???? I thought it was American as I pay my account in the USA in American dollars and have an American address.
I can tell you my selections in quque are the same as my other devices.

If you have an USA account ,when you come across the border netflix lets you access the Canadian version and vice versa a Canadian going to the usa can access the USA site.

Un block us my vpn does not work with Tivo I know some members have it working but their customer service could not help me and I gave up on the process having other options.

When I access netflix on my Roku(american) WD live, Sony TV and Apple I get the American site,going through my vpn.These appear to be the same as my Tivo version.

Does Tivo send you to the USA or the Canadian site depending wherever you registered and pay your Netflix account???

It is obvious by some of the posts some members are accessing the Canadian version of Netflix and I believed you could only acces the American site.

[TurboTropic]

am I receiving a the Canadain version????

I know nothing about Tivos but I can tell you that if you have 30 Rock available to you then you have the US version of Netflix.

[Edwin]

Hello everyone.

After the software update, do I have to wait for 48 hours or something? In system information the current software version # is

20.2-01-2-748

I'm still getting that error message as stated previously when activating YouTube or Netflix. Tried taking off apps and then putting them back on.

Can someone assist me?
Thanks

Edit: I have the Premiere XL version. Maybe it will update tonight. I will have to see in the morning. Thanks

[andrela]

For netflix if US or canada content: you receive te contents in the country you are in, not the country of your account

Edwin.

Your software version should be 20.2.1.1-01-02-746 ( if you have the premiere non XL). Can you confirm.

Netflix and youtube can take up to 4 hrs after update. If you still have issues, reboot your tivo. If you still have, can you exactly state the error message.

[jft436]

Andrella and Turbo I went to my computer where I know I have the American Netflix using a vpn and I put 30 rock in the instant queue.

I went back to Netflix through Tivo and 30 rock was there all 5 seasons and I could view the episodes.

Andrella what you are saying makes sense and I agree with it,but I believe I am connected to USA Netflix. As I mentioned previously my instant queue appears to be the same on all my other devices as TIVO

One thing I do notice that there is a little different message on the welcome window telling you that netflix is loading this only appears on the Tivo not my other devices.

I am making a comment on this and was curious, as I said previously it is a bonus to get netflix on Tivo after all this time.I was thinking of calling Tivo help to find out they may or may not know so I will not call and rock the boat just enjoy what we have.

[andrela]

Jft436. I should have said depending the IP you are showing through tivo. I also use vpn( I have a cdn netflix account) and i get the US netflix seletion although I do not have access to instant queue (add or delete) on tivo. I have not connected the tivo using a cdn IP yet, maybe "your list" will appear.

I am not sure if the nessage showing up when netflix is loading is different than the other netflix device as the other device may be silent. Ipad is showing messages about authorization when loading a show that i have not seen on other devices.

I am pretty sure that access to Cdn was planned. And most likely tested during beta. You may want to tweet a thank you note to tivomargret.
This version is loaded from netflix everytime you start and can be dynamically change as they see fit ( like the language setting or categories etc...). The old version was hard coded to the US API and could not be redirected.

It is too bad for the S3 series as they are pretty much stuck with the old interface.

[awebber]

Does that mean one NetFlix sub will do both US and Canada, depending where you are (or IP displayed anyway)?

I've never tried a netflix.com sub in Canada, or a netflix.ca sub in the US (so far my .com accounts have all been trials. ). Someone told me his netflix.com didn't work in Canada, but I think he was watching on an early AppleTV box or something, and it might have been as simple as "that device didn't support netflix.ca".

Thanks!
=aw

[WalterP]

I have a USA Netflix account that I created to access the Netflix Instant Queue feature from Tivo. Prior to this most recent release, when my VPN settings were set to a Canadian IP address I would loose all access to Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu Plus. Now when I change my VPN to a Canadian IP address I gain access the Canadian Netflix library (and YouTube!), but my instant cue list disappears.
A VPN may still be useful if you want to access the larger USA Netflix library, but not essential if you are on a tight budget. For example, Weeds shows 37 episodes for Canada vs. 76 for USA, and The United States of Tara shows 12 episodes for Canada vs. 36 for USA. If you are spending money for a VPN, I do recommend setting up a USA Netflix account for the added benefit of instant queues - It's much easier to browse the library from a computer or tablet, and line up a bunch of shows in your queue, rather than navigating through the TiVo interface. The same queue access applies to Netflix on iPad and Apple TV.
Thank you Andrela for your post regarding the four hour wait for Netflix and YouTube access! I was a bit confused when the upgrade arrived, and I couldn't access Netflix or YouTube...